The whole scene for anyone's that's interested: 1 2 3 4 5

Primary Colors is a fictional story inspired by the events of Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign. The film is based on the novel by Joe Klein, who originally published the book anonymously and vigorously denied writing it for months, even staking his journalistic integrity on his statement that he was not the author. John Travolta plays Jack Stanton, a charming but unscrupulous southern governor. Emma Thompson plays his dogged wife Susan, and Kathy Bates plays Libby Holden, a political operative based on former Clinton strategist Betsey Wright. The movie has always been a favorite of mine. Not Oscar material or anything, but it's a fun and interesting look into the world of politics and all the actors do a great job. For the most part, it's a lighthearted take on the whole affair but for the last thirty minutes or so, it takes a sharp tonal shift and gets really dark really fast. Beside the fact that they had to tack on a more dramatic ending to please audiences, I never really understood why the movie goes in that direction. I'm a little older now though, and after witnessing this campaign and having lots of discussions with friends and family about Hillary Clinton's nature, I think I understand what it means.

Spoilers, obviously.

In the movie Libby Holden is a brazen, unpredictable lesbian who had worked as damage control for Jack Stanton when he was governor. Amidst Jack's multiplying scandals, they bring in Libby to help with their presidential run, not unlike what actually transpired between the Clintons and Wright. She comes in guns blazing and hilarity ensues. Holden is a loyal champion for the Stantons until the end of the film, when a crucial decision has to be made. Freddy Picker, a strong opponent enters the presidential race at the last minute and threatens Stanton's chances significantly, so Jack and Susan must decide whether or not to blackmail Picker with some dirty information they have on him. It's a move that Libby is staunchly against and in the scene that I have come to realize is the most important in the whole film, she pleads with the power couple to do the right thing. For something so unrelatable to most people, it's a tender and powerful moment.

When they decide to move on the information anyway, Libby reluctantly threatens to expose another scandal that will ruin any chances Jack has of becoming president. In private, she tells Henry (the main character based on George Stephanopoulos) that she doesn't want to expose the Stantons, she just wanted to see if they would opt to play dirty, which they did without missing a beat. Later, Henry finds her dead in her truck, presumably from suicide. The real Betsey Ross Wright is alive and well, but her death in the story is reminiscent of Vince Foster's apparent suicide in 1994.

I always wrote this part of the movie off as a cheap dramatic thrill to improve an otherwise lackluster ending but I've realized how it encapsulates the whole point of the film. Her death symbolizes the death of political ideals once held by the Clintons that had been slowly compromised over the course of their careers. Also, the way it is edited is open-ended enough to suggest to the perceptive viewer that Libby may have been murdered. Henry struggles with his decision to work for Stanton throughout the movie and he's now burdened with understanding the dark reality of the situation he's in. He decides to stay on anyway, Stanton wins the presidency and the movie ends.

A lot of people like to speculate on whether or not Hillary Clinton actually believes she is doing the right thing, or even knows or cares what the consequences of her actions are at this point. I always bring up this scene in those discussions. Joe Klein may have invented some details but I think for the most part, he successfully articulated the Clintons' mindset. Long before two terms in the White House, Bill and Hillary decided that playing dirty was the only way to win. They deluded themselves into believing that if they cheated just enough to get into power, they would then be able to focus their attention on the needs of the people. They could "play the game" until the time came to help the helpless of this country, then they would be forgiven of their sins. But of course once you have cheated, you will always be a cheater. Bill and Hillary Clinton are not crass opportunists taking the system for a ride. At least they didn't start out that way. But after years of lying and covering up the facts to achieve their goals, how could they ever be expected to play fair again? This all supports the theory that it is not the criminal members of our government that should be spotlighted, but the system. Hillary is just someone who is very good at playing a rotten sport. She does not deserve your respect or your vote, but until we change the rules someone else will inevitably come along who plays the game even better.